Threading-machine



W. E. ELLIOTT.

THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. 191s.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

VII?

VII/4 lll/l W. E. ELLIOTT.

THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAR.28,1916.

1,836,777, Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@, 54 6/ 6463 HMS/Wr 59 MM f1/@ W. E. ELLIOTT.

THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.28, 19m.

Y 1,336,777. Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l w. E. ELLIOTT. THREADING MACHINE.

APPLRCATION FILED MAR. 28, i916. 13

4 sHEETs-sHEEr 4.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, 0F GRAND RAIT'IDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNGR T0 AMERICANBUTTON & FASTENER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

THREADING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application led March 28, 1916. Serial No. 87,215.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inThreading-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to a threading machine and is illustrated asembodied in a machine for threading attaching' fasteners through theeyes of shoe buttons.

Machines of this class are provided with receptacles for a plurality ofbuttons and a plurality of fasteners and are designed to remove a buttonand a fastener from these receptacles and bring them together intoproper relation for delivery to a magazine tube or to an attachingmachine or the like..

The object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of thisclass.

lWherever threading machines have employed a hopper in which a largemass of buttons were indiscriminately placed and have then removed thebuttons to a. raceway more or less difiiculty has been experienced. Inaccordance with features of this invention any such diiiiculty isavoided by an arrangement operating to remove the but-l tonssuccessively from a flexible strip to which they have been temporarilyattached. rThis strip is delivered to a stripping mechanism locatedadjacent the raceway and the buttons are `removed fromY the strip anddelivered to the raceway in exactly the positien which they are tooccupy in the raceway.

Other features of the invention reside in a novel Y raceway which isparticularly adapted for carrying the novei button upon which LettersPatent of the United States iio. 1,2%,7 were granted upon my applicationon Nev. 28, i916, and w iich is especiaA y designed to effect completecontrol of the buttons at all stages in their progress along the racewayand to minimize retarding friction. y .The improved raceway which Ishall herein describe, however, is equally well adapted for use withother types of buttons which are now on the market.

Still another feature of the invention relates to the provision ofimproved mechanism for taking one button at a time and transferring itto a predetermined position where it may receive an attaching elementthrough the eye of the button. In the use of the illustratedarrangement, a button is received and resiliently grasped while it isbeing transferred along a guideway to the position in which it willreceive a fastening member in the eye of the button.

A further feature of the invention relates to a novel and improved meansfor controlling a staple as it is threaded through the eye of a buttonand for ejecting it into a magazine tube. To this end, means is providedfor engaging a staple as it is dropped through the eye of a button so asto prevent it from turning into the passageway and clogging the same andso as to insure its accurate passage through the eye of the button.

Other features of the invention consist in a novel magazine tube forreceiving the combined buttons ant staples and permitting the freemovement thereof under the force of gravity. Combined with this magazinetube is a novel joint or connection by means of which it may be quicklyand accurately placed in alinement with the discharge tube of thesetting machine. This arrangement enables the ready attachment anddetachment of the magazine tube so that a large number of these tubesmay be rapidly filled fith combined buttons and staples in the operationof the machine.

Still other features of the invention will become apparent after aconsideration of the following specification taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a side elevation, withparts shown in section on the line l, l of Fig. 5 and with the cover ofthe button container removed, of a machine built in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are front and side views respectively of one type ofstripping mechaism which may be used to separate the buttons from themount on which they are placed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4, 4i o'f Fig.8 vertically through the staple raceway'and discharve tube, disclosingthe device for yieldingljy holding a staple in proper position withreference to the discharge tube.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine with the cover of the staple hopperremoved and various parts broken away.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the button transfer mechanism showing itin the position that it takes immediately after it has received a buttonand has carried it partially toward the point where it is to receive astaple.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6.

v Fig. 8 is a front view of the machine with the elements which go tomake up the button transfer mechanism removed therefrom and isequivalent to a section on the line 8, 8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the button carrying membersseparated to receive a button and with portions removed to betterdisclose the structure.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower part of thedischarge tube and the upper part of the magazine tube showing the jointused to connect them in alinement.

F iOf. A11 is a section taken on the line ii-ii of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12 and 13 are perspective and side views respectively of thestaple controlling element of the machine.

Figs. 14 and 15, 16 and 17, 2O and 21 are respectively, front and sideviews of various elements used in the construction of the buttontransfer mechanism.

Figs. 18 and l19 respectively, are front and side elevations of theejecting member of the machine.

Fig. 22 is a section taken on the line 2222 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a magazine tube to be filled with thecombined but tons and staples.

Fig. 24 is a front elevation of an operating springY forming one elementof the button transfer mechanism; and

Figs. 25 and 26 are plan and side elevations respectively of a platecovering the staple carrying way.

ALike reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

In the construction of the mechanism a vertical support 1 is used whichhas brackets 2 extending to the rear and serving to support-a staplehopper 3 and a button container 4, the hopper and container beinglocated alongside of each other. 1n front of the support 1 'projects abracket 5 on which is mounted a block 6, this block serving as' a mountfor the movable parts of the'button transfer mechanism. Leading to theblock at an upper corner thereof is a raceway 7 here shown asconstructed from an elongated bar and provided with a centrallongitudinal slot 8 cut in its upper side of a size to loosely receiveeyes 9 ofthe but- Lacey?? tons which are carried by the way. At eachside of the slot the way 7 (see Fig. 22) is provided with relativelywidely separated upstanding ribs 10, spaced apart sufliciently tounderlie the base of the head 11 of a button near its periphery andhaving reduced upper edges so that each contacts with a button alongsubstantially a single line to allow said button to slide thereon with aminimum of friction while the neck 12 formed on the underside of thebutton is received between the ribs 10 and held above that part of theway which is located between the ribs so that Vthe button in movingalong the way rides entirely upon the ribs 10. By separating these ribsso that they underlie the base of the button near its periphery, thelength of contacting surface and hence the friction is reduced. Thisstructure of carrying way and as will later appear of the discharge andmagazine tubes constitutes an important feature ofV my invention for thereason that with the ways previously used, the neck 12 bearingthereagainst at each side, of the slot for the eye tends to cause thebuttons to bind so as to preclude their free sliding movement andincreases the tendency to tip and jam. This novel form of button iscovered by Elliott Patent No. 1,206,755, above mentioned. In order tokeep the buttons from accidental displacement a cover 13 is Yused havingdownwardly extending longitudinal ribs 13a disposed closely adjacent theupper surface of the head and preferably arranged directly above theribs 10 to prevent tilting of the buttons. Lateral movement of thebutton, which would result in allowing the neck and eye of the button tocontact with the sides of the grooves in which they are received, isprevented by side bars 13b each provided with a central inwardlyextending rib 13C, as shown in Fig. 22, these bars 13b and the cover 13being secured in place in any suitablev manner.

The buttons are mounted by temporarily attaching them to a long andnarrow strip of paper 14, and preferably the eye of a button is insertedthrough the paper, thus forcing tongues 15 backwardly (see Fig. 1) whilethe tongues 16 will lie between the Vlegs of the eye and serve toyieldingly lock,

the button to the strip. This construction is the subject matter of myformer application for Letters Patent of the United States, Ser. No.72,651, filed the 17th day of January, 1916.

To disassociate the buttons from the mounting strip, said strip withattached buttons is fed to a stripping mechanism including a shaft 17 onwhich lis mounted a roller 18 having a central Groove 19 as best shownin Fig. 2. The shaft 17 may be continued and formed into a crank 2O forthe operation of the roller. This shaft is mounted on any suitablesupport adjacent the upper end of the way 7 while pivotally mounted uponthe support 1 is a spring pressed bracket 21 at its upper end divided toform spaced apart arms 22 each carrying a vertically positioned link 23,each link having mounted adjacent its upper end a short roller 24 thatbears against the roller 18. Between the lower ends of the links 23 aroller 25 is carried which also bears against the roller 18. t will beevident that when the strip 14 is brought over roller 18 its outer edgesare fed between this roller and the two rollers 24, the eyes of thebuttons passing freely through the reduced portion 19 of roller 18. Theraceway 7 is provided with a relatively thin projecting portion whichextends partly over the abruptly curved roller 18 and thus tends tounderlie the bases of the approaching buttons as the mounting strip isbent away from them by being guided over the roller 18. rlhe advancingstrip, drawn under the end of the raceway, pushes each button into theguiding grooves of the way in just the position which it is desired thatthey shall occupy. As the advancing button becomes supported upon theraceway, the flexible mount 14 is stripped off the buttons by the roller25 and discarded.

rChe staples 26 are carried down an inclined guide 27 formedsubstantially as a rectangular bar with the proper formation at itsupper side to receive a wire staple, bar 27 being located substantiallyparallel to the button carrying way 7. Staples are elevated from thehopper 3 by means of a vertically reciprocated member 76, operating in awell understoodmanner to pick staples out of the mass and deliver themto the raceway 27. The staples slide by gravity down the way andunderneath the cover plate 28 until stopped by a staple controllinglever 29 pivotally mounted as best shown in Fig. 8 on the front face ofthe block 6 and operated by the spring 30 so that the narrowed andbeveled end 31 normally is seated against the upper edge of the bar 27.

A slot 32 formed substantially as onequarter of a circle to receive andact as a guideway for the eyes 9 of the buttons and having a widenedouter portion 33 to receive the necks 12 of said buttons is cut in block6 to communicate with the end of the way 7, as shown in Fig. 8. Coveringthe lever 29 and the end of the bar 27 is a plate 34 (shown in Fig. 9)the front face of which is in the same plane with that portion oftheblock 6 shown to the left in Figs. 8 and 9, this plate having a partremoved at 35 to continue that portion 33 of the slot which is toreceive the necks 12 of the buttons. The slot 32, at a point where ithas passed through an arc of substantially 90 and becomes approximatelyhorizontal,

merges at an abrupt angle into a vertical slot 36 constituting an outletpassage formed in the downward extension 37 of the block 6 and continuedin the discharge tube 38. This discharge tube does not carry buttonsalone as does the way 7 but before the button is passed to the dischargetube it will have a staple combined therewith as will be laterdescribed, and, accordingly, (see Fie'. 11)` the discharge tube isformed with a comparatively wide passage 39 sufficiently wide to receivea staple 26 and permit its free movement therein, it being evident thatthe button and the staple are separated by interposed portions of thetube 38. Furthermore the discharge tube is also provided with spacedapart ribs 40 on which the head 11 of the buttons may ride, these ribsserving the same function as do the ribs 10 of the ways 7.

The transfer mechanism for controlling the passage of buttons from theraceway 7, constructed and arranged to resiliently grasp one button at atime and move it along the guideway 32 into position to be threaded witha fastener is shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9 and its parts are shown in Figs.14 to 17, 20, 21 and 24.

Two resiliently related irregular shaped members 41 and 42 are pivotallymounted in front of the plate Member 41 has extending to one side of itspivotal mount a cam linger 43 while its opposite end is formed withcurved fingers 44, the edges of which are concentric with the pivotalaxis of said member 41, these fingers 44 riding directly over the curvedslots 32 and 33. In addition the member 41 is formed with a projectingportion 45 on which is mounted a pin 46 and the lower-most finger 44 isformed as a jaw 47 to grasp the head 11 of a button as shown in Fig. 7.rlie member also has curved concentric lingers 48 which lie directly infront of the fingers 44 of the member 41 and integrally formed with themember 42 are spaced apart projections 49 and 50, the slot therebetweenreceiving the pin 46. A spring ha ing arms 51 and 52 is mounted on thefront face of the member 42, arm 51 engaging against the pin 46 whilearm 52 bears against a pin 54 extending from and secured to theprojection 49, the normal tendency of the spring being to force the pin46 into contact with the part 50. A thin metal spring member 55 coversthe fingers 48 of the member 42 and at its lower end extends beyond, andis formed into a button receiving cap 56, it being designed to form apocket within which the head of a button shall be received andresiliently held by the lower ends of the fingers 44 and 48 and thespring 56, in a manner best disclosed in Fig 7.

A plate 57 of irregular formation is positioned over the members 41 and42, it at one edge having'a Spacing lug 58 formed integral therewith andadjacent its upper edge an ear 59 which carries a rearwardly projectingstop 60. This plate is held in place by the shouldered screw 61 whichalso passes through members 41 and 42 and serves as a post on which theyturn. A spring is wound around the forwardly projecting end of the screw61 and has diverging legs 62 and 63, the former of which engages withthe pin 46 while the latter is engaged against a forwardly projectingpin 64 passed through the plate 57 and further serving to hold itrigidly in position. Norvmally the arm 62 occupies a position withreference to arm 63 like that shown in Fig. 24, the tendency of thespring being to rotate the members 41 and 42 to lowermost position.

The vertical support 1 has a vertical opening bored therethrough inwhich is mounted a post 65 normally impelled to an upper position by thecoiled spring 66. Post 65 in upper position extends a distance above thesupport 1 and at its upper end carries a horizontal forwardly projectingarm 67 held firmly against the upper end of the post by a nut 68threaded on to the end of rod 69 which passes lengthwise through post65. The forward end of the arm 67 reaches to a point directly above andslightly to one side of the button transfer mechanism just described.Nlounted on the forward end of the arm is an operating plunger 70provided with a forward extension 71, and an ejecting bar 72 at itslower end having a corner removed to form a finger 7 3 as indicated inFigs. 8 and 18. The member 72 is longer than the member 70 and is sopositioned that on the downward movement of the post 65 it comesdirectly in front of the staple carrying bar 27 while the member 70 withits forward extension 71 is located so that when the downward movementof the post '65 is nearly completed it engages first with the cam finger43 of the member 41 and then with the staple controlling lever 29. Alink 74 is mounted at the rear of the arm 67 and at its lower endconnects with a lever 75 pivotally mounted on the bracket 5 and reachingback to engage with the movable member 76 in the staple hopper, theoperation being such that when a reciprocation of post 65 takes placethe member 76 ele-' vates a plurality of staples into position such thatsome of them may be properly positioned upon the staple carrying bar 27.This, however, is not any particular or essential feature of theinvention.

The staples are normally retained upon the bar 27 by the controlling andseparating lever 29. When this is lifted by the eX- tension 71, itallows the row of staples to slide against the side of the ejecting bar72 and when released, its beveled edge 31 is Lesen?? interposed betweenthe end staple and the remainder of the series of staples. Directlybelow the staple bar 27 is a pivoted finger 77 (see Figs. 4 and 8)pressed forwardly by a spring 78, and provided with a curved forwardedge as shown in Fig. 4. This edge is located directly opposite theentrance of the guideway 32 and hence opposite the point where the sideof the staple passage 39 is necessarily broken. A pocket is formedbetween the side of this passage and the finger. 77 for the reception ofthat leg of the staple released from the staple carrying bar which isopposite the passage 32 and the button eye 9. n

The operation of the mechanism so far as described may now be set forth.The rod 69 is Vreciprocated in any suitable manner, for instance, ifdesired, a foot pedal is used to draw the rod down spring 66 returningit when the foot pressure is removed; and it will also be apparent thatthis operation may be performed by any suitable power driven cam orother equivalent mechanism. As the post 65 moves downwardly the ejectingmember 72 passes in front of .and closely adjacent the end of the staplebar 27 serving to hold on the bar the staple released when the forwardextension 71 strikes against the staple controlling lever 29 and frees astaple. Before the lever 29 is reached by the part 71 said part willhave engaged with the cam finger 43, both members 41 and 42 beingrotated in a clockwise direction until the member 42 engages againststop 60 whereupon it will stop but member 41 will continue the rotationa short distance, pin

46 thereupon passing from the part 50 to engage with the lpart 49, thusseparating the resiliently related button grasping parts. The downwardmovement of the post 65 is stopped when the under member 41 has beenmoved sufficiently to carry the pin 46 to the part 49. Vhen this occursthe parts will be positioned such that the lowermost button on the way 7may drop into place in the pocket formed between the jaw 47 and theresilient cap 56. Upon release of the rod 69 and the return of the postto normal position, the first effect is the return of member 41 underthe infiuence of spring arm 62 to its normal position with reference tomember 42, jaw 47 thereupon engaging against a side of the head 11 of abutton clamping it firmly between this aw and the cap 56. The pin 46thereupon assumes a rigid relation to the part 42 either by engagementagainst the part 50 or by reason of its abutment against the interposedbutton and both members 41 and 42 return together swing ing the buttonthrough an arc of 90 degrees until stopped by stop 6a, the eye beingguided by the way 32 but the head being wholly retained in the transfermechanism. This positions the eye of the button in proper horizontalrelation so that it may receive the leg oi' a staple released bythemember 72 just before it reaches its upper position as shown in Fig.8. lVhen the staple drops one leg passes through the eye of the buttonwhile the opposite leg is located between the spring pressed linger 77(see Figs. 4 and 8) and the adjacent side of the staple passageway 39,thus avoiding any tendency to tilt. The staple is retained in thisposition, as shown in Fig. Il, until, upon the repetition of theoperation the end 7 3 of the member 72 i'irst reaches the staple whichwas threaded in a button presented by the transfer mechanism and forcesit into the discharge tube, linger 77 moving to the rear as the ejectingmember passes in front of it. The combined button and staple thereuponride down the discharge tube and into Athe magazine tube which is to belilled with combined buttons and staples.

lThe operation may be repeated indefinitely. It will be apparent in thisconnection that as soon as the staple controlling lever 29 isreleased bythe upward movement of the part 7l, it returns to place and by reason ofthe beveled end 3l it passes between the series of staples sliding downthe bar 27 and the one staple that has been permitted to slide forwardagainst the rear face of the member 7 2 with the operation of the leverso that with each cycle of the machine one staple and only one ispermitted to fall while one button and only one is carried into positionsuch that the leg of a staple may fall therethrough. It will also beapparent that this transfer mechanism for taking a button from aquantity of buttons and carrying it to a position where it is held for atime, may be also used to position the buttons for the eyes thereof toreceive other attaching means than staples, the mechanism in thisparticular not being limited in use in any respect to the one single usein connection with attaching staples that has been outlined.o

It is designed that the magazine tube to be lilled with the combinedbuttons and staples shall be located in alinement with and as acontinuation of the discharge tube 38. To provide an easy and effectiveconnection so that such tubes will properly aline I have used a block 79of the formation shown in the Figs. l1 and 23 which has a slot cut inone face, an end of the magazine tube 8O iilling only a part of theslot. The magazine tube is of practically identical formation with thatshown and described in connection with the discharge tube 38, itincluding a central slot 8l for the reception of the eyes of the button,a wide transverse slot 82 for the passage of the staples and outer ribs83 against which the head 11 of the button may ride, there being spaceprof.

vided between these ribs for the passage of the necks l2 on suchbuttons. The block 79 is held in a cooperating recess in a support 84 bymeans of the set screw 85. In practice the lower end of the dischargetube 38 extends into the recess in the support 84: to an extent suchthat when the block 79 enters it from below, the lower end of thedischarge tube enters the upper vacant portion of the slet in the block79 and automatically alines itself with the magazine tube. The magazinetubes when filled with combined buttons and staples are used in manyother machines, either in the attachment of buttons direct to shoes, inthe mounting of combined buttons and staples on paper strips, or in manyother ways.

I claim:

l. In a machine of the character described, a helder adapted to receivea plurality of buttons mounted one after another in a row on a narrowstrip of' material, a button carrying member adjacent said holder, andmeans positioned at one end of the member through which the strip ispassed to demount buttons from said strip and deliver them to saidmember, substantially as described.

42. "jIn a machine of the character described, a holder for holding aplurality of articles mounted in a row on a narrow elongated strip ofmaterial, an article carrying member located adjacent the holder, amechanism positioned at one end ot said member unto which said strip maybe "ted, and means included in said mechanism to demount said articlesfrom the strip and deliver them to the member 'and simultaneously passsaid strip away from the niember.

3. In a machine of the character ded scribed, a holder for package etarticles mounted in a row on a nar ow elongated trip of material, anarticle carrying tube located adjacent said holder, and coacting rollersmounted adjacent one end ol the tube between which the strip may be fedto remove the articles from the strip and deliver them to the tube andsimultaneously carry the strip away from the tube.

4c. In a machine of the character described, a bar having a slotlengthwise thereof in its upper side, a rib projecting upwardly at eachside of the slot, a cover over the bar spaced a distance therefrom, andmechanism located at ene end of the bar into which a narrow elongatedstrip of material carrying a row of buttons may be fed, said mechanismincluding means to remove the buttons from the strip and deliver them tothe bar under the cover therefor.

5. In a machine of the character described, a bar having a slotlengthwise thereof in its upper side, a rib extending lengthwise of thebar at each side of the slot, a cover over the bar spaced a distancetherefrom, and cooperating rollers mounted adjacent one end of the barbetween which a strip of material having a row of buttons mountedthereon may be fed, said roll-I ers disengaging the buttons from thestrip and delivering them to the bar under the cover.

6. In combination, a button raceway, a package comprising a mount towhich a plurality of buttons have been temporarily attached by passingthe eyes of the buttons through said mount, a grooved roller adjacentthe upper end of the raceway, and means' for holding said mount incontact with said roller, said roller and raceway being constructed andarranged so that upon rotation of the roller` the buttons will beremoved from the mount and introduced into the raceway.

7. In combination, a button raceway, a package comprising a iiexiblemount to which a plurality ofbuttons arranged in a series have beentemporarily attached by passing the eyes of the buttons through themount, a ribbed roller rotatably mounted adjacent the upper end of andpartially underlying said raceway, said roller being provided with acircumferential groove adapted to receive the eyes of the buttons, and acoperating stripping roller constructed and arranged so that theflexible mount may be passed between said coperating rollers and thebuttons removed from the mount and introduced into the raceway.

8. In combination, a button raceway, and a stripper mechanism forremoving buttons from a flexible mount to which they have beentemporarily attached by passing the eyes of the buttons through themount, comprising a circumferentially grooved roller mounted adjacentand partially underlying the upper end of the raceway, a pivotallymounted bracket having its forked 'free end resiliently pressed towardsaid roller, pivotally mounted plates supported by the forked ends ofsaid bracket, a-cylindrical roller mounted between similar ends of twoof said plates and coperating rollers mounted upon the other ends ofsaid plates whereby said bracket urges said cylindrical roller and saidlast-mentioned rollers into contact with the periphery of the groovedroller to thereby hold the flexible mount in contact with the groovedroller so that buttons will be removed from a mount passed between saidrollers and introduced in the raceway.

9. In combination, a package comprising a mount to which a plurality ofbuttons arranged in a series have been temporarily attached, a buttonraceway, a stripper mechanism arranged adjacent one end of said racewayfor removing buttons from the mount for introduction into the raceway,and mechanism associated with the other end'of the raceway Jfor removingthe buttons one at a time and threading each button with a previouslyformed attaching member.

10. In combination, a package comprising a mount to which a plurality ofbuttons arranged in a series have been temporarily attached, a buttonraceway, a stripper mechanism arranged adjacent one end of said racewayfor removing buttons 'from the mount for introduction into the raceway,and transferring mechanism associated with the other end of the racewayfor removing the buttons one at a time `and bringing them into thedesired relation with an attaching member. Y Y

l1. In combination, a button raceway, a staple raceway, means forcontrolling the contents of the staple raceway, means for receiving andresiliently grasping the end `button from the button raceway andtransferring it to a position to receive one leg of a staple releasedfrom the staple raceway, and means for ejecting the combined staple andbutton into a suitable magazine.

12. In combination, a button raceway and a staple raceway, a guidewayconnecting the end ofthe button raceway with the staple raceway at apoint adjacent its end,

and a pivoted transferring' device for receiving and resilientlygrasping the end button from the button raceway and moving it along saidguidewayY to a point adjacent the end of the staple raceway where it mayreceive one leg of a staple released Jfrom said raceway and pass into amagazine.

13. In combin( tion, a button raceway and a staple raceway, a curvedguideway connecting the end of the button raceway with an outletadjacent the end of the staple raceway and a pivoted member comprised ofresiliently related parts adapted to transfer a button through saidguideway to a point adjacent theY outlet, and means for separating saidresiliently related parts to receive the end button in the buttonraceway and then to resiliently grasp the same during its transfer' tosaid point adjacent the outlet vwhere it may receive one leg of a staplereleased from the staple raceway.

14. In combination, staple supplying mechanism, a button raceway, aninclined open guideway communicating therewith and shaped to accommodateonly a portion of a button, and pivoted means constructed and arrangedto control the passage of buttons from the raceway into the guideway, tocarry one button at a time along the guideway, and to hold it firmlytherein throughout its passage along the guideway.

15. In a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, a buttonraceway, an outlet member provided with an outlet passage arranged toreceive the combined shoe button and staple, a guideway connecting thesaid button raceway and said outlet passage, and a transferring deviceprovided with a socket for the reception of the head of a button andarranged to transfer said button along the guideway to a point adjacentthe outlet passage, the socket of the transferring device adjacent theoutlet passage being constructed from resilient material adapted toyield to allow the removal of the button after a staple has beenthreaded through its eye.

16. In a machine of the character described, an inclined member downwhich shoe buttons may slide, a block at the lower end of and below saidmember, said block having a curved slot for the passage of the eyes ofthe buttons, two irregularly shaped members pivotally mounted on theface of the block one over the other, curved fingers on said membersnormally lying over the slot in a block, a pin on the inner memberprojecting through an opening in the outer member, said opening havinggreater width than the diameter of the pin, a pin on the outer member,spring means mounted on the outer member and interposed between saidpins, means to engage with the innerV member to rotate it Yto a pointwhere it uncovers the lower end of the button carrying member, saidouter member moving with the inner member, a stop engaging with theouter member, a button receiving cap on the outer member in which abutton is received when said lower end of the button carrying member isuncovered, and spring means to move the said members and the buttoncarried thereby to a position at the lower end of the curved slot whenreleased from said rotating means.

17. In a machine of the character described, a block having a curvedslot in its face, in length substantially a quadrant of a circle, meanscarrying shoe buttons to the upper end of the block in alinement withthe upper end of the slot, two irregularly shaped members pivotallymounted on the block one over the other and having curved fingerscovering the slot when in normal lower position, a button receiving capat the lower end of the outer member, means to rotate said members to anupper position to receive a button from the button carrying means, theeye of the button entering the slot in the block, and means forreturning the members to normal position, whereby the button carriedthereby is located with its eye in substantially horizontal position.

18. In a machine of the character described, a block having a curvedslot in its face, means carrying shoe buttons to the upper end oftheslot, mechanism movably mounted on the face of the block normallycovering the slot, a button receiving cap on said mechanism movable overthe slot and adapted to receive a shoe button on movement of themechanism to upper position, means to move said mechanism to said upperposition, and means to return said mechanism to normal position after ithas received a button.

19. In a machine of the character described, a bar havin0` a sloiilengthwise thereof in its upper side, a rib extending lengthwise of thebar at each side of the slot and a cover over the bar spaced a distancetherefrom and having spaced apart ribs on the under side lyinglengthwise of the cover, substantially as described.

20. A button raceway provided with relatively widely separatedlongitudinal ribs having reduced upper edges adapted to underlie thebase of a button head near its periphery and support it for movementalong the raceway and with a groove between said ribs to receive andguide the eye \f the button as it moves' along the raceway and a groovebetween said ribs and said. iirst named groove of different crosssection from said first named groove and adapted to receive a projectionfrom the base of the button.

2l. A button raeeway provided with longitudinal ribs adapted to supportthe base of a button at relatively widely separated points and with agroove between said ribs adapted to receive freely any projection uponthe base of the button, such as the eye, and a cover for said racewayprovided with longitudinal ribs arranged closely adjacent the uppersurface of the button whereby the button is supported with a minimumamount of friction upon the lower ribs and is prevented from tilting bythe ribs upon the cover.

22. In combination, a way for the passage of shoe buttons comprising abar having a slot cut lengthwise thereof and in its upper side and a ribprojecting upwardly from the bar at each side of, spaced from, andlocated parallel to the slot, a transfer mechanism positioned at thedelivery end of the way and provided with a pocket for the reception ofthe head of a single button, a guideway associated with said transfermechanism, and means to operate said mechanism to take one shoe buttonat a time from the way and carry it along said guideway through an arcof substantially ninety degrees and hold it in position to receive anattaching means.

23. A button raceway adapted to support the base of a button, saidraceway having a groove arranged to receive any projection, such as theeye of the button, upon its base, and side members for said racewayprovided with longitudinal ribs arranged to lie closely adjacent theperipheral edges of the button to thereby tend to prevent the partaratedpoints and with a groove between said ribs arranged to freely receiveany projection upon the base of the button, such as the eye, and a coverfor said raceway provided with longitudinal ribs arranged substantiallyabove said first-mentioned ribs and closely adjacent the upper surfaceof the button whereby a button will slide down the raceway guided byfour parallel ribs.

25. A button raceway provided with longitudinal ribs adapted to supportthe base ofv a button and with a groove between said ribs adapted toreceive any projection upon the base of the button such as the eye, acover for said raceway provided with vspaced longitudinal ribs arrangedto lie closely adjacent the upper side of said buttons, and side membersfor said raceway also provided with longitudinal ribs arranged closelyadjacent the periphery of the button at about its maximum diameter.

26. In a machine of the character described, bar having a slotlengthwise Vthereof in its upper side, a rib extending lengthwise of thebar at each side of and paralleling the slot, a cover over the barspaced a distance therefrom, spaced apart ribs, on the under side of thecover paralleling the ribs on the bar, and side members located betweenthe bar and cover one at each side, each having a rib extending inwardlytoward the space between the bar and cover, substantially as described.

27. In a machine of the character described, a bar having a centrallongitudinal slot lengthwise thereof and in its upper side,

a narrow rib at each side of the slot projecting upwardly from andparalleling the slot and spaced therefrom, 'said ribs being providedwith rounded upper edges over which the under sides of shoe buttons areadapted to slide, the space between the ribs being of substantiallyuniform width in cross-section, and a cover above and spaced from thebar, whereby shoe buttons each having an eye and head may be receivedbetween the bar and cover, the under side of the head resting on theribs and the eye entering the slot, substantially as described.

28. In a machine of the character de scribed, an outlet member comprisedof a bar having an inverted T-shaped slot cut lengthwise therein and arib at each side of, spaced from, and parallel to the slot over theupper edges of which the underside of shoe buttons are adapted to slide,a magazine tube having similar formation as the outlet member, a blocksecured at one end 'of the magazine tube,`said block being provided withan opening to receive the end of the outlet member and position it inalinement with the magazine tube, and means to detachably secure saidoutlet member and magazine tube together in alinement, substantially asdescribed.

29. In a machine of the character described, an ejecting bar, an outletmember having a passage through which combined buttons and staples areejected, a staple carrying bar back of the ej ecting bar, means to holdthe staples on the bar, a post mounted for reciprocatory movements towhich the ejecting bar is secured, means to transfer shoe buttons one ata time with each reciprocation of the post from a quantity of buttonsand hold each button in a position such that its eye can receive one legof an attaching staple, and means on the post engaging with the stapleretaining means to release the staples when the ejecting member has beencarried into the outlet member, substantially as described.

30. In combination, a button raceway, a staple raceway, aplunger, amember provided with an outlet passage, a pivoted spring-controlledtransferring device for receiving a button from the button raceway andbringing it to a pointA adjacent the outlet where it may receive onelegV of a staple released from the staple raceway7 and means upon saidplunger for controlling the passage of staples from the staple racewayand for operating said pivoted transferring device.

3l. In combination, a staple raceway, means for controlling the passageof staples down said raceway, means for supplying buttons with theireyes in position to receive one leg of a staple released from theraceway, an ejector mounted for movement past the end of the stapleraceway arranged to eject a combined staple and button, and meansassociated with said ejector for operating said staple controlling meansto release the end staple for movement against the side of said -ejectorwhereby the removal of the ejector will allow this staple to drop olfthe raceway and enter the eye of a properly positioned button.

^ 32. In a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, a memberprovided with an outlet passage for the combined buttons and staples, aguideway for the eye of a button leading into said outlet passage inangular relation thereto, a button supply, means for removing a buttonfrom the supply and resiliently grasping it for transfer along saidguideway into a position adjacent the outlet passage for the receptionof one leg of a staple, and means for removing the button from the graspof said transferring Ineans. l v

llO

33. A magazine tube for receiving combined buttons and staples comprisedof an elongated tube having an inverted vT-shaped.

slot cut lengthwise therein, a port-ion of said slot bei-ng extendedbeyond the cross slot of the T and arranged to engage that portion of a`button eye most remote from the button andto prevent lateral deflectionthereof, anda rib projecting from the bar at each side of the slot,spaced from, and lying parallel thereto Wherebystaples may be retained:in thewiderportion of the T-shaped slot, the eyes of buttons throughwhich the staples pass-entering the narrower portionof-said slot, andthe heads of the buttons riding on said ribs7 substantially asdescribed.

34. A button tube adaptedl to support a buttonbyits base and providedwith a deep groove formed to receive the eye of the button when arrangedwith its maximum dimension lengthwise of the raceway and to guide andprevent lateral deflection of that portionof'the eye most remote fromthe button, al shallow groove merging with said deepgrooveadapted tofreely receive'a boss on the base of the button, and a slot intersectingsaid deep'groove adapted to receive staplel fasteners which have beenthreaded through the eyes of the buttons.

35. In combination, means for transferring shoe buttons onev at a timefrom a quantityr of buttons and holding each buttonin a position suchthat its eye can receive one leg of an attaching staple, means torelease astaple for such connection with eaclrbutton, an outlet membercomprised of a bar having an inverted T-shaped slot cutlengthwisetherein, and a rib at each side of and parallel to theslot,vmeans to eject each combined button and staple through the outletmember, a magazine tube having similar formation as the outlet member, ablock. securedy at one end of the magazine tube, said block beingprovided with an opening to receive the end of the outlet member andposition it in alinement with the magazine tube, and means to detachablysecure said outlet member and magazine tube together in alinement,substantially as doscribed.k

36. In combination, a member adapted to hold a plurality of shoe buttonsone back of another, a block at the forward and lower end of saidmember, transfer mechanism movably mounted on the block and normallycovering the end of said member, a staple carrying bar over whichstaples pass mounted a distance from the button carrying member, aspring operated lever engaging at one end with the upper side of ythebar. at its forward end, an operating device mounted to move across theface of the block and engage with the transfer mechanism to move 1t tomove the end of the button holding member and permit one button to comefrom said member to said transrcr mechanism, means on the transfermechanism to receive and hold a button, means movable with the operatingdevice to engage the staple holding'lever and move it away from thestaple bar7 an outlet member, and a member also movable withsaidoperating device immediately in front of the staple holding bar andinto the-outletme1nber- 37. ln combination, a way adapted to hold aplurality of shoe buttons one back of the other, transfer mechanismmovably mounted at they forward end of the way, spring means normallyholding said transfer mech-` anism in lower position and covering theend of the way, a staple carrier located a distance to one side of thebuttonv carrying way, a spring actuated lever engaging at one end withthe upper side of the staple carrier at its forward end normallyholding-'the staples on the way, a vertical rod mounted forAreciprocation, an operating device secured to the rod and movable ondownward movement of the rod into engagement with the transfer mechanismto carry it to a position uncovering the end of the button holdingmember, means on the transfer mechanism to receive and hold a button,said button being' carried on return of the rod to upper position to apoint below the staple carrier, an ejecting bar attached to and movable'with the reciprocating rod moving in front of the end of the staplecarrier on downward movement of said rod, means engaging with the stapleholding lever after the ejecting bar has passed in front of the staplecarrier to move it to release one staple permitting it to move againstthe ejecting bar and drop after the ejecting bar is elevated, and anoutlet member into which the ejecting bar passes on its downwardmovement.

38. In a mechanism for combining shoe buttonsl and attaching staples, avertically positioned outlet member having a passage through which thecombined buttons and staples are ejected, means to carry a button to andhold it adjacent the-upper end of the outlet member with its eyey inhorizontal position, means to release a staple to fall with one legentering the eye of the button and means to yieldingly engage the stapleand hold it in vertical position as its leg enters the eye of the buttonand while it is being ejected into the outlet passage.

39. In a mechanism for combining shoe buttons and attaching staples, anejecting bar forming an element of said mechanism, an outlet memberhaving a passage through which the combined buttons and staples areejected, and a spring operated finger projecting into said passageadjacent its upper end and the point where the staples and buttons arecombined, 'said linger being spaced from an adjacent side of the passagea distance sufficient for the reception of the leg of a staple betweenthe finger and said side of the passage whereby the staple is heldagainst turning to engage with and bind against a side of the passage asit is ejected, substantially as described.

40. ln a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, an outletmember provided with an outlet passage forA the combined shoe buttonsand staples, a guidway leading into said outlet for guiding the eye of ashoe button into angular relation with the direction of said outletpassage, means arranged adjacent the union of said guideway and saidoutlet passage for yieldingly engaging a staple after one leg of it hasentered the eye of a button, and an ejector arranged to engage the headof said staple at the side away from the eye of the button thereby toforce the staple and button into the outlet passage and cause the buttonto be rotated into engagement with the head of the staple and inalinement with the outlet passage. i

41. ln a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, a memberprovided with a passageway for staples, means for supplying staples oneat a time to said passageway, there being a slot in the said memberintersecting the passageway and extending generally in a directionparallel to the direction of the passageway but entering the same at anangle to said general direction, and movable means associated with theside of said passageway opposite the entrance of said slot constructedand arranged to receive and temporarily retain one leg of the staple andhence to prevent the tilting of the staple at the point where one sidethereof is unsupported by the wall of the staple passage.

42. In combination, means for supporting and presenting a supply ofbuttons arranged in a predetermined relation in a series, and movablemeans arranged to resiliently grasp and remove one button at a time fromthe series and deliver' the same into position for association with anattaching member and arranged so that the position of the button at thispoint of association with the attaching member may be accuratelydetermined, said movable means being also arranged to engage the neXtbutton of the series to be delivered and thereby to prevent movement ofthe remaining buttons while delivering the button which has beenremoved.

43. A button raceway adapted to receive and deliver a button having ahead and a projecting neck, comprising relatively widely separatedlongitudinal ribs adapted to underlie and support the base of a buttonadjacent to its periphery and having a groove between said ribscomprising two parts respectively substantially compleieemv mental incross section to the neck and the eye of the button, the last mentionedpart of said groove arranged to guide and prevent lateral deflection ofthe eye throughout the length of the button-eye, said groove beingconstructed and arranged to afford substantial clearance between thegroove and the said parts of the button to provide for free movement ofthe button along the raceway.

44. A button raceway adapted to receive and deliver a button having ahead and a projecting neck, said raceway being shaped to underlie andsupport the base of a button head near its periphery and having a groovecomprising a relatively deep and narrow button eye receiving portionconstructed to guide and prevent lateral deection of the eye throughoutthe length of the button-eye, and a relatively shallow portion ofdistinctly different cross section merging with the narrow portion adjacent'the top of the raceway.

45. ln a machine of the character described, an outlet member projectingbeyond the body of the machine, a clamping member provided with a recesssurrounding said outlet member and in fixed relation thereto, and amagazine tube comprising a bar having an inverted T-shaped slotlengthwise thereof, and a rib at each side of, spaced from and parallelto the slot, said tube having a block at one end constructed andarranged to fit the recess in said clamping member thereby to aline thetube accurately 100 with relation to the outlet member.

46. In a machine of the character de scribed, a flexible support havinga plurality of fasteners fixed thereon in a series, and means engagingthe support for simul- 105 taneously advancing said support andseparating the support and fasteners.

47. In a machine of the character described, a support having insertedtherein a series of fasteners, and means for advanc- 110 ing thesupport, the direction of advance being changed to withdraw thefasteners from the support.

48. ln a machine of the character described, means for independentlysupporting 115 a plurality of fasteners in a definitely spaced spiralseries, means for advancing the 'support, and a'raceway into coperationwith which the support is advanced to successively separate the seriesof fasteners there- 120 from and effect their delivery by such advance.

49. ln a machine of the character described, a iiexible strip forindependently supporting a plurality of fasteners in a 12.5 series,means for advancing the strip, a raceway coperating with the strip toseparate said strip and fasteners, and mechanism associated with theraceway for removing the fasteners one at a time and threading each 139i 5l. In a button-attaching machine, a holder strip for a plurality ofbuttons fixed thereon in a definitely spaced series, mechanismcooperating With the buttons to effect their attachment to the Work, andmeans arranged to demount the buttons 'from the holder strip fordelivery to the attaching mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 20

VILLIAM E. ELLIOTT.

